Filling pipe-free filling structure with separate conduits for the tension and return gas and for withdrawing excess fluid

ABSTRACT

A filling device for filling containers, such as bottles, in which a return conduit extends into the container being filled and leads therefrom to a discharge region. A liquid level detecting element is disposed at the lower end of the return conduit and senses the rising liquid level in the container and controls the supply of liquid thereto.

United States Patent "1191 I Kaiser WITH SEPARATE CONDUITS FOR THE TENSION AND RETURN GAS AND FOR WITHDRAWING EXCESS FLUID [75] Inventor: Klaus Kaiser, Bad Kreuznach,

Germany [73] Assignee: Seitz-Werke & GmbH, Bad

Kreuznach, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 116,464

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 20, 1970 Germany; 2007896 [52] US. Cl. 141/46, 141/115, 141/198, 141/302 [51] Int. Cl 1365b 31/06 [58] Field of Search 137/392; 141/39, 40, 44-46, 141/48, 49, 52, 53, 58, 115, 126, 198, 302; 73/304 R, 304 C; 74/8914, 89.15; 340/244 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.357.013 8/1944 McKinnis l41/l98 X FILLING PIPE-FREE FILLING STRUCTURE I 1451 Mar. 19, 1974 3.209.794 10/1965 Granier 141/46 3.443.608 5/1969 Copping et a1. 141/198 x 3.604.480 9/1971 Rehborn [41/39 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.632.004 ll/l969 Germany 141/198 OTHER PUBLICATIONS German Printed Application, 1,632,004, l l/l969, Uth et al.

Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or lirmWalter Becker [57] ABSTRACT 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures .54 "U I 419 44 I Z 0 /4 1 I I 40 I I I I I I I PATENTEDMAR 1 21974 3797535 SHEEi 2 BF 3 SOURCE OF INERT GAS T0 PASSAGE 24 FIG 3 75 SOURCE mam GAS a: g 5:??? m if FIG-2 PATENIEUMAR 1 9 m4 SHEEI 3 BF 3 VALVE I VALVE 11 FILLING PIPE-FREE FILLING STRUCTURE WITH SEPARATE CONDUITS FOR THE TENSION AND RETURN GAS AND FOR WITHDRAWING EXCESS FLUID The present invention relates to a filling-pipe-free filling structure for counterpressure filling machines with return gas conduit separate from the tension gas conduit and leading into the atmosphere or a collecting container, and with a withdrawing conduit for withdrawing the excess fluid rising above the return gas conduit inlet in the pressed-on vessel, by relieving the pressure on the vessel content.

It is known with filling-pipe-free filling structures having separate conduits for the tension and return gas and with withdrawal of the excess fluid by relieving the pressure in the vessel, to place a floating body into the return gas conduit. Also, below the floating body, it is known to arrange an additional conduit path with a shut-off member which branches off from the return gas conduit and leads into the atmosphere or a collecting container. When the liquid level rising in the return gas conduit during the filling operation reaches the floating body and if the latter engages an associate seat, the liquid inflow will end with the interrupted tension gas withdrawal whereupon the return of the liquid control valve to its closing position is effected. The subsequently occurring pressure relief is effected through a separate conduit path while the shut-off valve is opened by an additional control step.

With the above mentioned filling structures it is also known to utilize the pressure relief for obtaining uniform filling levels in the filled vessels and to do this by withdrawing the excess liquid through a separate conduit path into the atmosphere or into a collecting container.

In this instance, considerable quantities of the filling fluid are involved. These will be located above the inlet primarily and in view of the different form and property of the vessels, including particularly the neck of the vessels in the time period between the completion of the liquid inflow and the closing of the liquid vessel and also subsequently these flow to the vessels which are filled to the level of the inlet of the return gas conduit. The losses in the filling liquid resulting from the withdrawing of the excess fluid have heretofore been put up with or attempts were made with filling elements equipped with filling pipes to maintain said losses in reasonable limits. To this end, following the filling operation, by an additional short time relief of the liquid and return conduit, the liquid which had risen therein was sprayed off. Subsequently, the space above the liquid was filled with gas under pressure, and only then the relief of the vessel content was effected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling pipe-free filling element or filling structure with separate conduits for the tension and return gas, in which during the pressure relief of the vessels none, or only minor quantities of excess fluid pass into the open or into a collecting container. Accordingly, uniform.

filling levels or filling levels within a predetermined tolerance range will be assured.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a filling structure, as set forth above, which is so designed and simplified that the separate guiding path will be superfluous that was required with heretofore known filling structures for withdrawing liquid and that was equipped with a shut-off valve to be controlled by an additional control step.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

MG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a filling'structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the filling structure equipped with an additional device for initiating a pressure gas shock FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line III-Ill of FIG. 2, but on a somewhat larger scale than FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a control circuit for use in connection with the present invention.

The filling pipe-free filling structure according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that the return gas conduit serves for withdrawing excess liquid and is arranged below the opening of the return gas conduit at the side of the vessel. Moreover, adjustable relative to said inlet there is provided an electric control member. As known per se, this is adapted to be influenced by the rising filling liquid in the vessel. The

electric control member is adapted to initiate the closing pulse for the fluid valve. In particular, by means of the selective adjustability according to the invention, of the control member, the closing pulse for the fluid valve is released by the rising liquid level still below the inlet of said return gas conduit. Accordingly, within the pressed-on vessel, a liquid-free space is created between the control member and the inlet of the conduit into which the following liquid flows. In conformity with the respective quantity of the post-flow liquid, the maintained space may be selected greater or smaller. Thus after the onflow of the post-flow liquid, the further risen liquid level will be closely below or above said inlet of the return conduit. At the subsequently occurring pressure relief, no, or only minor quantities of liquid, will be pulled along and sprayed off through the return gas conduit. Particularly, with a filling up to a marking line, in which the inlet of the return conduit determines the filling level of the vessel, the quantity of the excess fluid which has risen above said inlet and is to be withdrawn may be reduced to such an extent that the liquid level will rise only slightly and only so far above the inlet of the return gas conduit that after effected pressure relief, all filled vessels will have the same filling level.

Also, the withdrawal frequently required in practice within an upper and a lower tolerance is made possible by the design according to the present invention. This is due to the fact that the liquid-free space between the control member and said inlet of the return conduit is adjustable in conformity with the desired tolerance range. No liquid will be sprayed off when the pressure relief occurs, provided the lower and, if necessary, also the upper filling tolerances are selected below the said inlet to the return gas conduit.

According to US. Pat. No. 3,443,608 Copping et al. issued May 13, 1969, it is known to equip filling pipefree filling structures with an electric control device which is adapted to be influenced by the liquid and Y which at a predetermined filling level will initiate the closing pulse for the fluid valve. In this instance, the control device respectively associated with the filling elements is arranged on the vessel side end of the gas conduit below the inlet valve to the return gas conduit and is adjustable as to height only with the gas conduit.

In this arrangement, the heretofore known control device differs fundamentally from the solutions suggested by the present invention. The invention employs the control device furthermore for filling elements with fluid withdrawal by pressure relief and also for a problem connected therewith. Such problem cannot be solved with the said heretofore known arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, only the filling container for the liquid and the tension gas and a lifting member 11 with disc-shaped surface 12 are shown as parts of a rotating one-chamber counterpressure filling machine. Opposite to each lifting member 11, 12 there is provided a filling element or filling structure 13 which is flanged onto a container 10. The filling element 13 is connected, by means of a separate gas conduit 14, and a separate liquid feeding passage 15, to corresponding outlets of the container 10 and, more specifically, in a gas and a liquid-tight manner respectively. The gas feeding conduit 14 forms an element which is adapted to be plugged into the container outlet.

At the vessel adjoining end of a housing bore 16, the element 13 has a valve seat 18. Valve seat 18 together with a valve body 19 resting on valve seat 18 and provided with a sealing margin 20 forms the fluid valve 18, 19. The valve body 19 having a central bore 21 ends below the sealing margin 20 in the form of a sleeve-like extension 22. This extension 22 forms an annular gap 23 with the adjacent portion of the filling element 13 and protrudes from the tubular liquid exit 24 at the lower housing end of the filling or housing 13, and at itsfree end widens in a funnel-like manner. The exit 24 is surrounded by a centering tulip 26 which is adapted to be lifted and lowered and is provided with a rubber seal 25. Within the lifting range of the tulip 26, there is provided a switch 27, expediently an approach switch or proximity limit switch.

The valve body 19 extends vertically in the housing bore 16 up to the range of the gas inlet conduit 14 and has its upper end widened to form a collar 30. By means of said collar 30, the valve body 19 is guided in a bore 16a of the filling element 13 centrally according to FIG. 1. The lower part of the collar 30 rests upon the upper end of a spring 31, the lower end of which, rests on an inner flange'32 of the filling element 13. Opposite an extension 33 provided at the upper end of the collar, there is arranged a further approach or proximity limit switch 39 which extends into the housing 13. There is also arranged an adjustable abutment 38 which limits in upward direction the stroke of the valve body 19. Below the extension 33, the collar is expediently provided with a restriction 35 which tapers conically in downward direction. Coaxially arranged in the collar 30 is a pot-shaped recess 36 which is adapted to communicate with a bore 21 in the valve body 19, the mouth of said bore 21 being narrowed by an annular extension 37. The plane bottom surface of the recess 36, together with a seal mounted thereon, forms the seat 40 for a further valve body 41. Seat 40 and body 41, together with the valve body 19 of the fluid valve 18, 19, form the tension gas valve 40, 41.

Fixedly or detachably connected to the sleeveshaped valve body 41 is a return gas conduit or pipe 42 which centrally extends through the bore 21 or the valve body 19, and which below the extension 22 protrudes from the valve body while the end adjacent the vessel V to be filled has an inlet 43 in a lower location of FIG. 1. Between the outer wall of bore 42 and the bore 21 of the valve proper, 19, there is formed an annular gap. The return gas pipe 42 is continued upwardly by a valve body 41 with a bore 44. The upper end of'said valve body 41 widens to form a piston 45. By means of this piston, the valve body 41 extends into a chamber 48 of a magnetic valve 49, said chamber 48 having inlet openings 46 and 47. The upper end of piston 45 which protrudes from the piston chamber 48 is provided with a threaded sleeve 51 which is connected to said last mentioned end by means of a clamping nut 50. The threaded sleeve 51 has connected thereto a hand wheel 53. Sleeve 51 is provided with longitudinal slots arranged opposite to each other in the wall of the sleeve, while the hand wheel 53 has an inner groove 52. A conduit 55 leads from the return gas conduit 42,44 at the upper piston end 45 into the atmosphere or a collecting container (not illustrated). Expediently, said conduit 55 is provided with an adjustable throttling section 54.

A rod or shank 56 extends through the vertical sleeve 51 and through the gas return conduit 44, 42. The lower end of said rod 56 protrudes beyond the inlet 43 of the return gas conduit 42, 44 and carries an electric control element 57. Between rod 56 and the adjacent wall of the conduit 42, 44 there exists an annular gap which is dimensioned so as to be sufficient for withdrawing gas and liquid from the vessel V. The control member 57 has associated therewith control means, not shown, which are provided in a control card 58 exchangeably connected to the container 10. The conductor which leads from the control member 57 to the card 58 is designated with the reference numeral 59. At the opposite end of the control member 57, the rod 56 is coupled to the hand wheel 53, by means of a bolt 60, extending through the sleeve slots. Counter nuts 61 secure bolt which is horizontally arranged on an extension of the rod 56. The ends of bolt 60 extend into an annular space 52 of the hand wheel 53.

The operation of the filling structure according to the present invention is as follows:

When the lifting member 11, 12 moves upwardly, the vessel V to be filled is centered by the tulip 26. By means of the control member 57 previously adjusted for the desired filling level, the return gas pipe 42 is introduced into the interior of the vessel. During the upward movement of the vessel, the tulip 26 will eventually engage the liquid outlet 24 whereby the vessel is pressed against the rubber 25. The switch 27 is actuated by the centering tulip 26 during the upward movement of the vessel. Through the control means of the control card 58, the switch 27 will energize the magnetic valve 49 which opens the inlet 47 for admitting actuating fluid into the piston chamber 48. As a result thereof, the actuating fluid moves the piston 45 upwardly so that the valve body 41 is lifted off its seat 41) while for the time being valve member 19 maintains its closing contact with the valve seat 18 due to the gas pressure in line 14. Consequently, the tension gas valve 40, 41 opens, but valve 18, 19 remains closed until pressure equalization is established. The tension gas now flows from the container 111 through the connection 14 and the open valve 40, 41 and the annular space between the return gas pipe 42 and the inner wall of bore 21 in the valve body 19. The tension gas passes into the pressed-on vessel while a minor portion of the gas will escape through the return gas conduit 42, 44, 55 and the throttling area 54 into the atmosphere.

When pressure equilibrium has about been established between the tension gas pressure in the vessel V and the filling container 10, spring 31 opens the fluid valve 18, 19. The upwardly moved valve body 19 engages the abutment 38 and the tension gas valve 40, 41 remains open. During this upward movement, the extension 33 of the valve body 19 acts upon the approach or proximity limit switch 39. Through the control means of the contact card 58, theswitch 39 causes the control member 57 to move into readiness. The filling fluid passes through the opened fluid valve 18, 19 and the outlet gas 23 into the vessel V. The tension gas displaced in this way escapes through return gas conduit 42, 44, 55 and the throttling area 54 into the, atmosphere. When the liquid level rising in vessel V has reached the control member 57, the released pulse acts upon the control means of the card 58 which are associated with the magnetic valve 49. These control means interrupt the current supply to the magnetic valve 49. The de-energized valve blocks the further supply of fluid through inlet 47 while connecting the inlet 47 with the atmosphere. The piston 45, the upper side of which is now actuated by fluid through the simultaneously opened inlet 46 moves the valve body 41 of the tension gas valve 40, 41 back to its closing position, while also the valve body 19 of the fluid valve is returned to the seat 18 and the fluid valve 18, 19 is closed.

The tension gas which is within the fluid discharge and in the neck of thevessel expands through the return gas conduit 42, 44, 55 and throttle 54 to atmospheric pressure. Simultaneously, with the pressure relief, through the return gas conduit 42, 44, 55 and the throttling area 54, the excess liquid above the conduit inlet 43 escapes into the atmosphere or into a collecting container (not shown) so that following the pressure relief, as evident from FIG. 1, the liquid level in the filled vessel is at the plane of the conduit cross section 43 or slightly therebelow. During the subsequent withdrawal of the vessel from the filling element 43 by lowering the lifting member l1, 12 the tulip again assumes its starting position so that the filling element will be in readiness for the next following vessel.

In view of the selective height adjustment of the control member, the quantity of the excess fluid to be withdrawn may be kept smaller or greater. This is achieved in a predetermined manner depending at which level the liquid level rising in the vessel during the liquid inflow releases the closing pulse for the fluid valve. The adjustment is effected in the following way. With the postflow fluid flowing into the interior of the vessel, the liquid level occurring in the pressed-on vessel prior to the pressure relief, will increase the conduit cross section at the desired level.

For purposes of scavenging and displacing of the ten sion gas by an inert gas, which tension gas remained above the liquid level, the filling element may, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, be equipped with a magnetic valve 70 and a passage 71, 72. Passage 71, 72 leads by means of a strand 71 to a source of inert gas and with the other strand 7!. leads into the liquid outlet 24. Both strands, 71 and 72, are within the region of the magnetic valve 70 moved together and are connected with passage openings adjacent to each other in the pertaining seat 73 of a longitudinally movable valve body 76 which is under the influence of the magnet 74 and of a spring force 75. i

In conformity with the above outlined operation of the filling element or filling structure, the control of the magnetic valve for releasing or initiating an inert gas pulse from the source of gas is likewise initiated by the control member 57 which is operable by the rising liquid level. Also, by means of the control pulse for the fluid valve 18, 19, after a delay by a time dependent control means of the control card 58 (which control means is preferably adjustable in conformity with a predetermined time), the magnet 74 is energized after the fluid valve l8, 19 has been shut off. Magnet 74 during or following the relief of the vessel from pressure will move the valve body 76 against the thrust of spring 75 into an opening position in which the two passage strands 71, 72 are connected to each other. The inert gas now flows through the passage strand 71, valve seat 73, and the passage strand 72 flows into the vessel. The inert gas thus displaces the prevailing tension gas through return gas conduit means 42, 44, 55 and throttle 54 into the atmosphere or into a collecting container.

When the filling element with the scavenging and displacing device 70, 71, 72 is used for a pressureless filling of still liquids, the device serves for withdrawing the excess fluid which in the filling vessel rises beyond the inlet 43 of the return gas conduit. To this end, the initiated inert gas shock displaces the liquid likewise through the return gas conduit means 42, 44, 55 and throttle 54 into the atmosphere or into a collecting container, expediently the filling container.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

With regard to the operation of the control member 57, it maybe added that as soon as the rising liquid has reached the tip of the control member 57 in the neck of the bottle being filled, a current, preferably an alternating current, will flow from the terminal K2 (see FIG. 4) of the network portion A through terminal K2 of the electronic part B to the control member 57. From here the current will flow through the conductive beverage to the shank 56 and subsequently to the terminal K] of the electronic part B. The current arriving at the terminal Kl of the electronic part B is conveyed through a rectifier filter chain and electronic elements of standard type to a power thyristor forming a control device. The power thyristor shifts the magnetic valve 49 into a current-less position. The prepared circuit for the control member at the terminals K1 and K2 of the electronic part B is shifted into effective position only when the magnetic valve 49, for purposes of pretensioning the vessel, is excited. The voltage of the control member is adapted to the conductivity of the beverage. Expediently, the circuit for the control member after energization of the magnetic valve 49 is made effective after a delay by means of a time relay. In this way there will be prevented a premature turning-on of the circuit for the control member by moistening the control member during the start of the flow of the liquid into the vessel.

The setting of the voltage for the control member in conformity with the conductivity of the beverage is for all control members 57 of the filling elements of the filling machine effected at the potentiometer C of the network part A. The mentioned control elements and electronic members are mounted on the control card 58 which in the circuit has been designated as connecting element.

The previously described return of the piston 45 and of the valve members 41 and l9 into closing position is effected in conformity with the electric operation of the control member as set forth above.

The circuit shown in FIG. 4 comprises the magnetic valve 70 which is provided in the modification illustrated in FIG. 2 and described further above. This magnetic valve 70 is, of course, not employed for the modification shown in FIG. 1 so that this magnetic valve 70 has to be omitted in the circuit of FIG. 4 when the circuit is utilized in connection with the modification of FIG. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for filling containers, such as bottles, with liquid and having a housing and wherein the container has the filling opening thereof sealingly engageable with the bottom of said housing, said housing having liquid supply means connected thereto and adapted for communicating with a port in the bottom of the housing for the supply of liquid to the filling opening of said container, a tubular first valve member in said housing and a seat in the housing stream from said port engageable by said valve member to interrupt liquid flow into the container via said port, a tubular second valve member extending axially through said first valve member with clearance and out said port so as to extend into a container engaging the bottom of the housing and forming a downwardly lengthened return conduit extending from the container beyond liquid exit to a region of discharge, said second valve member controlling communication between a tension gas on said liquid and the interior of said container, and a control element at the lower end of said second valve member sensitive to the rising liquid level in the container being filled and adapted to control the closing of said first valve member.

2. A device according to claim 1 which includes a control member extending axially through said second valve member with clearance and at its lower end supporting said control element, and connecting means connecting said control member to said second valve member for axial adjustment thereon.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said connecting means comprises a sleeve fixed to said second valve member at the upper end thereof, and nut means threaded to said sleeve and connected to said control member.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which the flow path formed from said container to said region of discharge via said tubular second valve member includes means forming a restriction.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which said liquid supply means comprises a container on said housing having liquid therein and a tension gas above the liquid, the lower part of said container communicating with the upstream side of said seat, a valve seat in said first valve member controlled by said second valve member, the upstream side of said valve seat in said first valve member communicating with the upper part of said container while the downstream side thereof communicates with the inside of said first valve member and therethrough with a container being filled.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORECTIQN Patent No. 3,797,535 Dated March 19, 1974 Inventor(s) Klaus 6]? It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet the assignee should read 7 Seitz-Werke GmbH -n Signed and sealed this 15th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) AtteSt;

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents F ORM PO-IOSO (10-69) u s eovzurmzm Pmmmc. orncz; 930 

1. In a device for filling containers, such as bottles, with liquid and having a housing and wherein the container has the filling opening thereof sealingly engageable with the bottom of said housing, said housing having liquid supply means connected thereto and adapted for communicating with a port in the bottom of the housing for the supply of liquid to the filling opening of said container, a tubular first valve member in said housing and a seat in the housing stream from said port engageable by said valve member to interrupt liquid flow into the container via said port, a tubular second valve member extending axially through said first valve member with clearance and out said port so as to extend into a container engaging the bottom of the housing and forming a downwardly lengthened return conduit extending from the container beyond liquid exit to a region of discharge, said second valve member controlling communication between a tension gas on said liQuid and the interior of said container, and a control element at the lower end of said second valve member sensitive to the rising liquid level in the container being filled and adapted to control the closing of said first valve member.
 2. A device according to claim 1 which includes a control member extending axially through said second valve member with clearance and at its lower end supporting said control element, and connecting means connecting said control member to said second valve member for axial adjustment thereon.
 3. A device according to claim 2 in which said connecting means comprises a sleeve fixed to said second valve member at the upper end thereof, and nut means threaded to said sleeve and connected to said control member.
 4. A device according to claim 1 in which the flow path formed from said container to said region of discharge via said tubular second valve member includes means forming a restriction.
 5. A device according to claim 1 in which said liquid supply means comprises a container on said housing having liquid therein and a tension gas above the liquid, the lower part of said container communicating with the upstream side of said seat, a valve seat in said first valve member controlled by said second valve member, the upstream side of said valve seat in said first valve member communicating with the upper part of said container while the downstream side thereof communicates with the inside of said first valve member and therethrough with a container being filled. 